New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-11-13
THE JACOBlNS.
4 BOLD DEMAGpGUE.
GA IRA, or. DANTON IN THE FRENCH REvoLu
iGnn n 26I Blston : Lee & shepard

ton 4 Stuly. BY LNwRENcH |RoNLuND, a. NJ
iGno pp. 26l Boston Lee AZ shepard
Mfr Gronund tells his readers frankly that his
chief purpose in writing this book has been to
establish connection between the French ReVolu-
ton and some far-of though not divine event which
he spcaks # as the coming Revolution" He is
what IS called bv those who belong to the school
"Collectivst" aud 10 Is TO forward the doctrines oil
Coeciivism that he writes The keynote to Coi-
lettivism IS srpreme confidence IN the ability of The
State TO 10 everything. The ColrctiYist believe
in a thoroughgoing Paternal Government II
human ex cnce fails 10 justify his faith 50 much
the worse for human experience. Colitc'iNism u
really German Socialism Of tie Mar! Marx typo IL
has not hitherto proved attractive TO citizens OF tie
United States and there Is no reason TO suppose
that il ever will The Germans have never known
liberty in Their own Conntly. ana therefore IL Is
not to he wondered ut tnat in planning reforms IN
society they shonld see nothing repu9naht III
scheme Of exo ggcratcd State t1trias" Bu' 10 NE
Anglo Saxon sUch ideas are IN no way t'"I'p'r'
while the repression o! indiva'u1lism proposed Is
in direct conflict with the strongest tender ceS Di
modern civilization.
But if Mr. Gronlund's uteuor object in writing
his book seems rather a waste oi time ana ingenu-
itv there is no Ia TX of interest in the work ltscii.
Twas decidedly worth while to have a fresh we"
OF the RevO,nti, from SO novel point OF obs fV"-
ten, ana whatever the mistlkcs OF tn author MS
method of presentation j. clear an good and his
ideas forciLlv put 1t is indeed not 'onspicnouSiy
apparent hy he should have chosen Dahton Tor the
sinh eet of ms studv. No doubt Danton vas a cen
tr,l iq,re in the ia Goblin Conquest but so far VAS
he from be n "a conscious protector of far->'ehtcd
social OF political reforms that Mr. GrGnlnpd IL
connclled 10 do violence to history in attempting
TO Cehabtate bis character. and even with 'he
help of TIL, prrversion the demonstration rehalhs
incomplete II may be freely almitai That DAhtoD
was a strong man; that he was perhaps tie abiest
Of the revoutiunary leaders; that he was less
bloodthirsty than Rohespierre. Marat or Biaud.
But not mich more can be conceded to his adj
IL irers Mr.. Groniund asserts. on the authority OF
Robinet an other recent Dant apOogists, that
II, was in 10 way responsible for the September
Massacre, Now that is of course test question:
If if can he shown that lie responsible for those
atroctie directly Indirectly every effort toprove
him an upright. virtuous man, or Il statesman van
ishes- Mr. Gronland is very denuncatoFy oil
Madame Roland. whom he accuses 81 tabricatloh'
n is neces arv for him to impeach her, for she Is
dangerous witness against Danton W hethtr she
accused him rightly or wrongly however there IS
one piece of evidence extant which it is difficult to
overcome since il is in the form of an explicit de
claratiop bc Danton himself of his completely In
the September massacres. This piece OF evidence Is
given by NJ. Taiue in the second Volume OF " La
Revolution" tp. 2si edition bachetc); and rs to
the following effect. The narrator is Lous-Phl-
Iippe subseq ucntly King Of Frauce at that time an
officer in kellerman's corps. After TIE battle OF
Valmy lie was sent to Paris with dispatches met
Dsnton at the ministry, and was invited to call en-
him. lie did so. and Danton received him kindly
but as he was gong away cautioned him, saying
3Yon have a fault; you talk too. mnch; yon are
only twenty four hours in Earis, and already sew
era tines you have blamed the affair of September.
know it, am informed :" But replied the
Young officer " it was massacre; how Is 1t posi-
bic not to find it horrible ?" Now mark Danton's
answer. at was / whO did it, All the PaElsians
are unmentonable worts of the GUTTER 1t is ne
cessary TO put n river of blood between them and
the enigr,s." This is conclusive enough, but there
Is plenty of corroboratve evidence. While the
September massacres were being perpetrated some
one implored him to his power to stop the
bIoodshed lie replied Is it not time the people
had their revengei' Hs deliberate preparation OF
falsehoods for publication in Prudhommes revolu-
tionary journal, to hoodwink the public as to the
extent OF the massacres, is IN point. As TO his
reported counter signature of the Infamous circular
recommending the provinces to follow the example
OF Paris in butchering their prisoners, Mr. "ron-
lund says the report has been found untrue; that
he did not sign the circular. On the Other hand NJ
Taine says lie did and certainly there is not the
least ground for surprising that he would have
SHRINK from such an act. Did he not, at the Min e
istry of Justice September 3, In the presence OF
army officers. the President OF the Assembly the
Msyor of Paris. the entire Executive Council save
Roland assume full responsibility for the massa
cres by stopping the mouth OF a member ho rose
to prote t against the butchery, with" 30 seated
1t was necessary"
Danton himself indeed had always the courage
not only of his convictions, but CT his crimes On
the 10th OF September. and in his own words, not
as Minister OF Justice, but as minister of the people,
he congratulated and thanked the cut-throats OF
Versailles lie was frankly INSCRIPTIONS In re
fusing to agree to q wholesale slaughter OF I'll
uirondns he said 1t is well enough known that
cont recoil from crime when it is necessary, but
disdain it when it useless" 1t is really too much
to try to make ap imposing figure and n statesman
out OF this material. The truth Is that Danon WAS
as NJ. Taine puts it, thorough barbarian, and
barbarian turned demagogue. TO great capacity
for organization he joined a savage Indifference to
crime worthy of the age of Clovis. Tie was quito
IA much brig,nd as a patriot He certainly had
no lofty or nnsel6sh Vows He was grossly lgno-
rant. lie had a rude eloquence. His object was to
establish q despOtsm by minority through iorce
and fear and there is no intilla of evidence that
ne ever looked auy further lie was, indeed less
pltiess and san culinary than the hideous machine
which he des gned and put in motion He was
clears lighted enough to see what the end must De-
and honest enough to regret what he had done In
tho circumstances however. this clear perception
was fat al defect in him, for it was law OF the
Terror that those who drew back from the bloody
work when it was ia full operation thereby con-
demnei themselves. When Danton came to realize
the true nature of his own creation, he was as
Taine says ripe for the guiot!ne."
Mr. Gronlnnd contends for his claim to states
manshp. Well. of the easures proposed by him
the majority were despotic DEGREES in wild con-
travention of natural laws utterly impossible TO
execute, and such as could only have Suggestion
themselves to a man depsey ignorant of economic
nrinclples. Such IS the law of the maximum, ono of
,.rennsternus and futila al temDts ever